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ADK's PROFESSIONAL TRAIL CREW
The ADK Professional Trail Crew (Pro Crew) Program is based on a strong tradition of resource protection through quality trail work, education, and adherence to traditional tools and skills passed down through the years. Since 1978, the crew has grown from one paid worker to sixteen, and has maintained its focus on the most remote and heavily damaged trails of the Adirondack and Catskill regions of New York State. The majority of the trail work completed by the Pro Crew is in conjunction with Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
2006 Professional Trail Crew
Based at the Wiezel Trails Cabin (built with donated funds and volunteer labor in 1991) at Heart Lake Program Center, the crew currently works a 44-hour workweek, Friday - Wednesday morning with a mid-season break and is broken into three or four crews. Heading into the woods on Friday the crew packs into remote locations and sets up camp near the project site. Using hand tools and working both as a team and individually, the crew performs intensive trail reconstruction using primarily native materials. Tuesday afternoon the crew returns to the cabin and on
New 65 foot long bridge over the
Neversink River in the Catskills
Wednesday morning completes chores on the cabin, tools, equipment and vehicles. The regular season begins early June and commences later in August with the opportunity to stay on and work through the fall for those not returning to school or other commitments.
The Professional Trails program is made possible by: DEC, Forty Sixers, ADK Algonquin, Hurricane, & Schenectady Chapters.
Crew structure is as follows -
Crew Boss: This position is responsible for the entire crew and directly supervises the crew leaders during the day-to-day operation of the program. In addition the crew boss is the direct link between the trails coordinator and subsequently the trails office. The crew boss has at least three (but typically more) seasons of proven leadership and trail skills. The Crew Boss sets the tone and acts as the “go-to” person for most of the crews needs.
Crew Leaders: If the Crew Boss is the head of the crew, the Leaders are the backbone. Leaders make sure that expectations are met on projects and that crew members are not only pulling their weight, but also learning the necessary skills in the process. Leaders have at least two seasons of experience and are enthusiastic and committed to the program.
Crew Members: The muscle of the program,
New trail section under construction
on Baxter Mountain near Keene, NY
crewmembers have from 1 - 3 seasons of trails experience and typically range from 16 - early twenties of age. Most are in college, some are juniors or seniors in high school, but all are looking for a physically and mentally demanding position for the summer. The Adirondacks is a unique and challenging place to learn trail skills. That being the case, our members make the best leaders. On average two-thirds of the crew returns each season, so it’s apparent that they enjoy their work. Many of our first year members have already been involved in our volunteer trails program or as a volunteer in other trails-related settings.
Interested in working on the ADK professional trail crew? Click here for the job posting or click here for an application
Click here to read article in Backpacker Magazine
Highlights of Trail work accomplishments for 2006:
• 125 miles of trail patrol (cleaning drainages & removing blowdown)
• 115 rock steps installed
• 997 feet of new ditching
• 334 feet of new bog bridges
• 2600 cubic feet of rock retaining wall
• 102 rock water bar rocks
• Over 2.5 miles of new sidehilling/trail
• Over 34 miles of trail sidecut and blowdown removed
• 907 blowdown removed from trails
• 56 foot long bridge in the Catskills